GreenMark is a writing service.

I mostly support with admissions — high schoolers applying to college and college students applying to post-undergraduate programs (law, medical, and graduate school).

I work with students to develop as communicators of the written word. I coach, mentor, and teach mostly through virtual conferencing, wherein I meet, dialogue, review and discuss writing, and go through a vigorous editing regime that helps students produce well-written pieces. I ask questions, offer suggestions, give space to think, process, and write. On their end, students work through the writing and drafting process.

GreenMark guides students through the writing process. Some students think they have writing already completed; if so, we can look at it. Most students, however, prefer to start from scratch.

Typically, they develop short-length responses and long essays (25-650 words). I work with students through (1) designing, (2) writing, (3) polishing, and (4) reviewing. For those applying to graduate programs, the essays tend toward two-to-three-page statements of purpose.

For design, I supply students with pre-writing exercises to generate ideas that help us discover narratives that work.

For writing, students write multiple essay drafts — Common App or otherwise — and I review them over online teleconferencing.

For polishing, students clean up the writing issues on their drafts until they are satisfied. The process is as important as the product.

For reviewing, I conference well beyond mere mechanics. I offer meaningful feedback and push students to complete their best work.

If someone needs, say, a doctor or a lawyer or a dentist, they look for someone who suits their needs. You’d probably do the same in this case.

I see myself as a teacher, a coach, and a mentor, so the value I provide to students is one of structured time given to students, but also of meaningful space to engage in professional dialogue about improving writing quality and craft.

Students often enter at different places in the writing process. I lay out two popular options here:

Option #1: Some students think they have an essay already written. If they do, they must send the writing 24 hours before our first meeting so that I have time to read and offer comments/feedback. The “pro” of this option is that they already have writing done, and they'd like to improve upon it. Great! The “con” of this option is that if I provide feedback that makes them think we should start over, then we have to start over for a future meeting. Typically, if it’s the summer, students typically start over with me and go with Option #2, but if it’s the fall and students are approaching the deadline, they may opt this Option #1.

Option #2: For this option, students like to start from scratch and go through this writing process the way I usually do with students. The “pro” of this option is that it's methodical and structured, and it orients students towards writing a product they can be proud of. The “con” of this option is that it's a bit slower.

To be honest, most students go with Option #2 because they like the summer and early fall to be an opportunity to start fresh. And they often take the essay they've already written and turn it into a supplement for future use. That said, I'm flexible and happy to have a conversation about what students want to do. So, let GreenMark know what works best. If it's Option #1, the student must share the writing 24 hours before our first meeting. If it's Option #2, just wait for an email with some pre-work :-)

And yes, GreenMark does work with students on supplements, in case they would like to do that instead. That said, it's really in your best interest to start with the Common App and then move on to supplements.

GreenMark offers three services for the 2024-2025 admissions season:

(1) The One-on-One Single package comprise pay-as-you-go meetings for planning, conferencing, and essay reviews. The cost is $299 per meeting.

(2) The One-on-One Standard package comprises six meetings at a one-time fee and discount. The cost is $1669. Students who purchase a Standard package are eligible to secure one additional Standard package after six meetings.

(3) The One-on-One Supreme package comprises student meetings at a one-time fee. I create a customized learning schedule that more-than-adequately paces students through the admissions season. The cost is $5499.

Take note that each meeting accounts for approximately one hour of in-session time and one hour of preparation by me.

GreenMark offers three packages — Single, Standard, and Supreme — and each package has an associated cost. There exist certain benefits for each package.

With the Single package, you pay as you go. Some just opt for the Single package to get a sense of what work gets done.

With the Standard package, you receive six meetings at a reduced rate, relative to the Single package; students who purchase a Standard package may purchase one more Standard package before they can then only purchase individual meetings thereafter.

With the Supreme package, students pay a one-time fee at the most reduced per-hour rate for meetings for the entire admissions season. With this package, I design a custom-built schedule to pace students through main and supplementary essays.

See this read-only page, updated daily, that shows the number of registrations left for each product.

Get started when you’re ready to work with me consistently. This may be in July, August, September, or even October.

Should students look to begin early, consider July onward. Why? Because students have been working and studying through May and June, and it's important for them to rest their mind, body, and soul before (a) working with me and (b) entering the admissions season, which runs from the height of summer until the dead of winter. That’s a long season, so I actually caution students not to get started too early because I don't want them feeling burned out later in the season.

There are two other reasons as well: first, we simply do not know if colleges and universities will change their application format, so it’s better to wait than to get going before potential changes to applications; second, at school, you may actually be given an in-class writing assignment in your English class, wherein you will write an attempt at a college essay. The reason why I say "an attempt" is because students tend to start over with me — they do so either because they don't like what they've written or they prefer to start from scratch anyway.

If we start in July: The advantage of starting in July is that you get started earlier than most students. The disadvantage is that summer trips and activities may disrupt momentum.

If we start in August: The advantage of starting in August is that students will be fresh and be able to gather good momentum. The disadvantage in August is that students start somewhat later than others.

Some students don't mind starting, say, in July for a week or two, and then taking time off before coming back in full force later; that said, some students struggle when there's a big layoff between meetings. Do what makes sense for you.

Finally, if we start later than August, that’s fine, too!

When students sign up for a one-hour appointment, they’re actually getting two hours of service (to get a better sense, watch this video explanation).

You might ask me, well, how is this possible? Students will share writing with me, at which point I spend as much time preparing for the meeting as I do meeting with students. In fact, for every one hour of meeting with a student, I spend one hour reviewing student writing in preparation.

I read students’ essays three times before we meet — once to understand the ideas and substance, once to work through grammar and mechanics, and once to check for diction.

So, again, to reiterate, for every one hour of in-session meeting, I spend an additional hour out-of-session to prepare. Prices account for time spent in and out of session.

Consider reading here for more information!

More recently, I’ve offered an individual meeting format through three packages. Instruction includes pre-writing exercises to generate ideas, deepen themes, and to help students understand the nature of sentence structures. Further, students receive thorough feedback on the drafts they write. That feedback pushes students to polish and review their main essay. GreenMark offers individualized instruction and supports students through online teleconferencing (via Zoom).

I work with student on short-and long-form writing, though I usually dedicate much of the time on admissions essay writing. Schools may also require additional applicant information from supplemental questions, so I work with students on those questions as well.

Students also reach out to me for non-Common App writing, as well as scholarships and grants.

You should!

I’m not against leveraging tools to supplement the writing process. Having tinkered with Chat GPT, Bard, and Bing GPT, I think they do have redeeming qualities. In fact, don’t be surprised if we fiddle with AI tools for idea generation and theme development! I think the strongest argument for large language learning models is that they support students in developing digital literacy skills.

That said, we’re now in uncharted territories with this AI tools, I’d caution folks that they shouldn’t be an end but rather a means toward the end. In other words, don’t think Chat GPT will get you into a highly selective school. At this point, it doesn’t look like it can or will.

So another part of me offers the following caution: if you want to cut corners and use AI tools solely in your writing journey, then cut corners and don’t seek me out. You’ll likely misappropriate those tools, and you’ll do so at your own risk . . . and good luck, I suppose!

But instead of worrying about “cutting corners,” I encourage students to shape and round those corners better! The value one gets from a consultant like me is time, space, and personalized, professional advice. More to the point, I offer support in using these AI technologies in service of your prospective candidacy.

Above all else, I work with students who wish to be in dialogue with me; who wish to acquire lifelong writing skills; and who wish to take ownership of the creative ideas that turn into compelling writing.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, if someone is not in need of a doctor or a lawyer or a dentist, then there’s no need to enter the market for one! But if that person needs professional consultation, they look for someone who might suit their needs. It’s as simple as that.

For graduate admissions — law, medical, business, and doctoral programs — the writing process tends to be more specific and technical.

Having attended masters and doctoral programs, and having worked with law, medical, and business aspirants, I guide applicants through this writing more narrow, circumscribed process as well.

Yes.

In fact, where AI tools like Chat-GPT may prompt colleges and universities to think about how else to evaluate student applicants, I cannot help but think that students may want to hone their interpersonal skills if or when schools request interviews with prospective applicants.

To see if GreenMark still has available registration, review this live Google Sheet.

Each meeting lasts about an hour.

As a policy, I review up to and including 650 words per session. This is the equivalent of a completed Common App personal narrative essay. Students who share with me supplements, which tend to be 100-300 words, may send me multiple essays whose sum is 650 words.

Why do I do this? Because if I didn't set a writing limit for each session, students would throw the kitchen sink at me and expect a review of entire application files.

I typically work with students in the summer, fall, and winter. Some students are ambitious and would like the Common App essay completed before the start of the school year. Other students need the beginning of the school year to get the Common App essay done. The students who complete the Common App essay earlier go on to work on supplements. The students who finish it later go on to hustle a little bit more before the deadlines.

Typically, students who start from scratch get their Common App essay completed in about 6 or 7 meetings.

GreenMark used to run group classes, but since the 2020 pandemic, it only runs one-on-one meetings. Students do tend to complete the Common App essay in six or seven sessions. Students have, on average, finished the Common App in six meetings.

I provide feedback as many as it takes for the student to feel happy and proud of what they're submitting to colleges.

Typically, what I do is give feedback, then I have students write four or five drafts on their own before meeting with me again. Then, I give another round of feedback and have them write four or five drafts on their own once more. We go through this cycle until we are mutually satisfied with the writing.

Some students want more feedback, other students want less. It's entirely up to them. My strongest students tend to want more feedback, and those strong students tend to have greater success with college admissions.

Students schedule the meeting appointments on the website. They must send me their writing 24 hours before our meeting. I get the edits done before our meeting, and we look at the writing together/work during the hour to improve the writing. In other words, the turnaround time for essay shares is usually a day.

Remember, for any one meeting, I spend about one hour in preparation for it. So, if you send me an essay 24 hours in advance, I will spend about one hour reading the writing three times — once for substances/ideas, once for grammar and mechanics, and once for diction.

Yes.

Time is a scarce resource, and I know that sometimes student schedules do not line up with mine. If this is the case, I offer an "alternative" hour, wherein students send me their writing. Then, I read it three times — once for the substance, once for mechanics, and once for diction — and I send back feedback within 24 hours. That way, students get what they need without the stress of signing up to be with me for an hour.

The upside of this arrangement is that you get thorough feedback from me, and enough to improve the quality and execution of your writing. Some folks have taken my feedback, drafted a few times thereafter, and wam bam, they're in a much better place. Woohoo! The downside is that you wouldn’t meet with me over Zoom.

If you don’t see an available meeting time, we can still meet! Just sign up for a meeting slot you see on the scheduler just to get yourself onto my calendar. (Please make sure you sign up on the right scheduling calendar. In other words, for example, if you have a Standard package, sign up for a Standard package time. If you have a Supreme package, sign up for a Supreme package time.)

Then, email me and indicate that you signed up for an appointment but would like to try to meet at a different time. Provide for me meeting times that work for you, and I can check to see if it works for me. If it does, I will manually move you to your desired meeting time.

In traditional first meetings, I provide and review essay samples from past writers.

As for additional essays and supplements, I do show current students some over screen sharing. That said, I’m careful and discreet about disclosing past student writing. Why? First, I need former students' consent and am sensitive of privacy concerns. And second, many of those samples are personal and generally kept in confidence. For example, a student might write an essay about overcoming a loss or reckoning with something relevant to their social and emotional health.

Whatever the case, I supply students with enough samples, and I also explain to them that there is a danger in reading too much into samples.

When parents or students want a one- or two-month job done in one or two weeks, I often say “well, I suppose it’s possible,” but let this page and its associated videos be instructional about the dangers of accelerating the writing process.

On the one hand, I can’t and won’t prevent students from involving family, friends, and other stakeholders (i.e. teachers and counselors); I’m not that territorial about their work with me. In fact, show it to your pet fish if you want.

On the other hand, be cautious about involving others because if you do, in fact, show your writing to a disparate number of readers, you may be inviting too many cooks into the kitchen.

Parents in particular pose a distinctive challenge because they can [sometimes unhealthily] insert themselves into the process and make demands on both me and the student. If this happens, they risk a cessation of services absent a refund. To reiterate, parents unhealthily involving themselves in a process that should solely be the writer’s is a violation of GreenMark’s terms and an ethical infraction.

If they edit, provide feedback, or dictate new terms for rendered services, they compromise the GreenMark method and associated value; parents may also slow down the writer, the latter of whom need time and space to engage in writing process while keeping their health and wellness in check.

I understand the impulse to set terms based on student needs, but I kindly ask that those outside the immediate writing refrain from inserting themselves into it.

Students’ success with GreenMark is predicated on thoughtful, process-driven work. It does not modify its policies and terms to satisfy particular parents or students. Any attempt to do so would give an outsize advantage to some to the disadvantage of others — this is a fundamentally unequal proposition.

Students succeed because, in time, they understand the GreenMark process, which helps them find faith and confidence in their own ability to think critically, write creatively, and engage in the writing process in ways that explain their eventual flourishing.

In a way, you can argue it’s not any different. Indeed, siblings and teachers, for example, can offer wisdom that might align with the writer’s desire. Me? Well, I’m just another set of eyes for feedback. That said, I like to think I see and understand writing in ways that help students grow as creative and critical thinkers.

To be honest, I cannot stop students from showing their writing to others. But if you want to make the wrong decision, as this link nicely illustrates, ask everyone. The whole point of my work is for students to realize that the most important people in the writing process are the writers themselves.

It’s not me.

It’s not their best friends.

It’s not their siblings.

It’s not that website that has this sample “that worked.”

It’s not their parents, teachers, or counselors.

It’s themselves.

My job as a writing coach is to get students to realize this over time.

This past school year may have ended, and you may have an interest in supporting your sons or daughters in the admissions journey, which often comes in the form of a college counselor or writing coach. I get it. You want the best for them! You want to make sure that they're submitting the best possible application/admissions essay.

My first piece of advice is this — I know it sounds strange to hear this from me, but I will say this unapologetically: College counselors and writing coaches can (and often do) inhabit a toxic industry, so if you can avoid working with them and save the money, do so! I mean it! Save what you can for, say, tuition and fees, books, housing, or for a nice graduation present! If your sons or daughters can get into their desired colleges without the aid of a writing coach/counselor, save, save, save! If you can avoid working with me and, along the way, save money, then all power to you!

Second, I’ll admit, I cannot say with certainty that I'm separate and apart from those college counselors and writing coaches, but I can say with greater certainty that I work with students with a different mindset: I am there to help them both grow and develop as writers. Along the way, they improve their admission probabilities, which is nice icing on the cake. But really, to me, it's all about having them see that they can still develop beyond the writing journey they've had in school.

Students who work with me know up front what I do and don't care about in their applications and admissions journey. For more information about what I do and don't care about, please read this page.

If you have any other questions about the work I do, check in with students/parents who have worked with me.

If you work with me with the sole intention of getting into one particular school or a certain number of schools, then you should not work with me. My work is simple: I work with you on writing; I teach you essential and lifelong writing skills; and I get you to think critically about writing critically.

Your admission to schools is incidental to the work we do.